As the saying goes, the only two certainties in life are death and taxes. Unfortunately, both are inevitable and unavoidable. If you plan properly, however, you may lessen the hardship on those you leave behind. Since none of us know when our time will arrive--whether you are 35, 55, or 95 it is important you leave instructions.

You’re getting close to 62, and wondering whether or not you should apply for your Social Security benefits. If you are eligible for benefits, you may begin receiving payments as early as age 62 – but is that a wise decision? At age 62, you would receive only 75% of your benefit amount – a reduction that continues for the remainder of your life.

December brings us the joy of Christmas, but also the beginning of preparation for tax season. Make sure you have done the things you can do to maximize your retirement assets, gain any available tax benefit, and/or avoid any tax penalty that may be linked to those investments.

Just over 1 in 4 of today’s 20-year-olds will become disabled before they retire.1 Over 37 million Americans are classified as disabled – about 12% of the population – and more than 50% of those are in their working years from 18-642.

I recommend Long Term Care (LTC) insurance policies for many of my clients. 70% of people turning age 65 can expect to use some form of long-term care during their lives (Source: U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services). As we age, the likelihood of someone facing an illness or injury that requires outside care is great. Care can be financially devastating without adequate coverage for such an event. Many people who have LTC policies are not aware of the wide range of benefits available, and as such, underutilize their policies.